In Maine, a serious violation of 29 CFR 1926.451 (Scaffolding) carries a maximum penalty of $16,550 per violation in 2026, rising to $165,514 for a willful or repeat violation. Scaffolding is enforced for private construction employers by federal OSHA (the state plan, Maine Department of Labor - SafetyWorks!, covers only public employees).
29 CFR 1926.451 · Maine
Scaffolding Requirements in Maine
Scaffolding in Maine: 2026 penalties, who enforces 29 CFR 1926.451, the paragraphs cited and free tools.
Verified vs OSHA sources · 2026-10-05
MaineConstruction (29 CFR 1926)Federal OSHA (private) · State plan (public)
In FY2025, federal OSHA cited 29 CFR 1926.451 17 times in Maine construction (11.5% of its construction citations there, the standard it cited most). The paragraph cited most was 1926.451(g)(4)(i) with 3 citations.
17
1926.451 citations in Maine construction, FY2025
(g)(4)(i)
paragraph cited most in Maine (3 citations)
13.2
fatal work injuries per 100,000 full-time workers in construction, Maine, 2024 (BLS)
Federal OSHA in Maine: 29 CFR 1926.451, FY2025
Counted · 2026-09-2617
citations of 29 CFR 1926.451 in 4 inspections
$20,592
penalties, current amounts ($32,907 as first proposed)
11.5%
of the 148 federal construction citations in Maine
In FY2025, federal OSHA cited 29 CFR 1926.451 (Scaffolding) 17 times in inspections of Maine construction employers. No standard was cited more often in those inspections. By classification: 15 serious, 2 other-than-serious. Most-cited paragraphs: 1926.451(g)(4)(i) (3), 1926.451(b)(1)(i) (2), 1926.451(f)(3) (2).
Counted by HazComFast from the U.S. Department of Labor's OSHA enforcement data (inspection and violation tables, retrieved September 26, 2026): citations issued October 1, 2024 – September 30, 2025 on federal OSHA inspections of construction employers (NAICS 23) in the state, deleted citations excluded, penalties at current amounts. OSHA's own cited-standards tool does not break federal states out; summed over every state, this count matches it within a few citations (6,778 for 1926.501, against 6,772). data.dol.gov
What federal OSHA is targeting in Maine
Maine has no state OSHA plan for private-sector work, so there is no state rule to read. What differs here is which hazards federal OSHA schedules inspections for, as set out in published emphasis directives.
Regional Local Emphasis Program for Residential Construction
BOS-CPL-04-00-030 · Boston Regional Office · effective October 1, 2024
“This instruction applies to Federal OSHA, Boston Region jurisdiction.”
Residential construction is scheduled for programmed inspection across the whole Boston region, and the directive names the industries it targets by NAICS: 236115 and 236116 for new single-family and multifamily housing, and the 238 specialty trade codes including framing, roofing, siding, masonry and drywall. A residential framing or roofing crew here is not waiting for a complaint to be inspected; it is on a targeting list.
Regional Local Emphasis Program Cranes in Construction
BOS-CPL-04-00-028 · Boston Regional Office · effective October 1, 2024
“This instruction applies to Federal OSHA, Boston Region jurisdiction.”
Cranes in construction carry a separate regional program here. It matters on scaffold and fall-protection work because a crane on site makes the whole project a candidate for a programmed inspection, and an inspection opened on the crane does not stop at the crane.
Falls and work deaths in Maine, 2024
Maine recorded 19 fatal work injuries in 2024, down from 27 in 2023. BLS did not publish a separate 2024 count of deaths from falls, slips and trips for Maine. Construction accounted for 7.
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, Maine, 2024
How Maine Enforces 29 CFR 1926.451
Maine operates an OSHA-approved state plan (Maine Department of Labor - SafetyWorks!), but it covers only state and local government employees. Private-sector construction employers in Maine are inspected by federal OSHA, which enforces 29 CFR 1926.451 directly using the federal penalty maximums. So if you run a private construction company in Maine, Scaffolding citations come from a federal Department of Labor compliance officer, not Maine Department of Labor - SafetyWorks!.
In Maine, the FY2025 citations under 29 CFR 1926.451 went most often to Siding Contractors (8) and New Single-Family Housing Construction (except For-Sale Builders) (4). A single inspection can produce several per-instance citations. Recurring self-audits against 29 CFR 1926.451, before an officer arrives, are the most reliable defense.
For a private-sector jobsite in Maine, HazComFast shows that federal OSHA has jurisdiction, because the state plan covers public employers only. Start free
Help and oversight in Maine
Free, confidential help: OSHA On-Site Consultation
In Maine, the program is Maine Bureau of Labor Standards (Workplace Safety & Health Division). OSHA describes it as “Primarily for smaller businesses, no-cost, confidential consultations help employers identify and address hazards and establish or improve safety and health programs.” It is separate from OSHA enforcement; the employer commits to correcting serious hazards.
A State Plan for public employers only
“The Maine State Plan covers all state and local government workers in the state.” “OSHA also exercises authority over private sector employers in the state and federal OSHA standards apply to these workers.”
Initial approval August 5, 2015 · 29 CFR 1952.28 · osha.gov
Who inspects private employers here
Federal OSHA, from the Augusta Area Office (Augusta) and the Bangor District Office (Bangor).
Read on osha.gov and the state's official statute site, September 26, 2026.
Maine Penalty Amounts for 29 CFR 1926.451 (2026)
Verified · 2026-10-05| Violation type | 2026 maximum | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Serious | $16,550 | Federal max · 29 CFR 1903.15(d) |
| Willful | $165,514 | Federal max · 29 CFR 1903.15(d) |
| Repeat | $165,514 | Federal max · 29 CFR 1903.15(d) |
| Failure to abate | $16,550/day | up to $16,550 per day; total capped at 30x the daily amount (FOM Ch.6) |
Maine applies the federal OSHA maximums. Amounts are ceilings per violation. Federal OSHA reduces the proposed penalty for employer size, good faith and history (FOM CPL 02-00-164 Ch. 6). There was no inflation increase for 2026: the 2025 amounts remain in effect (OMB Memo M-26-11).
Key Scaffolding Requirements 29 CFR 1926.451
- Design to support 4x intended load
- Provide guardrails on open sides above 10 feet
- Inspect before each shift by competent person
- Train workers on scaffold hazards
- Ensure proper access (ladders, stairways)
- Follow requirements specific to scaffold type
Who enforces it in Maine: Federal OSHA inspects private construction employers; the Maine Department of Labor - SafetyWorks! State Plan covers state and local government workers only.
The compliance checklist, the paragraphs OSHA cites nationally and what an inspector checks under 29 CFR 1926.451 are on the 29 CFR 1926.451 page.
Most-Cited Scaffolding Paragraphs in Maine, FY2025
Federal OSHA issued 17 citations under 29 CFR 1926.451 to Maine construction employers in FY2025. The paragraphs cited most, with the official text. A serious violation carries up to $16,550.
- 1
1926.451(g)(4)(i) 3 citations
“Guardrail systems shall be installed along all open sides and ends of platforms. Guardrail systems shall be installed before the scaffold is released for use by employees other …”
- 2
1926.451(b)(1)(i) 2 citations
“Each platform unit (e.g., scaffold plank, fabricated plank, fabricated deck, or fabricated platform) shall be installed so that the space between adjacent units and the space between the …”
- 3
1926.451(f)(3) 2 citations
“Scaffolds and scaffold components shall be inspected for visible defects by a competent person before each work shift, and after any occurrence which could affect a scaffold's structural …”
- 4
1926.451(b)(1) 1 citation
“Each platform on all working levels of scaffolds shall be fully planked or decked between the front uprights and the guardrail supports as follows:”
- 5
1926.451(b)(3) 1 citation
“Except as provided in paragraphs (b)(3) (i) and (ii) of this section, the front edge of all platforms shall not be more than 14 inches (36 cm) from …”
- 6
1926.451(c)(2) 1 citation
“Supported scaffold poles, legs, posts, frames, and uprights shall bear on base plates and mud sills or other adequate firm foundation.”
HazComFast count from the Labor Department's OSHA enforcement data: citations issued in FY2025 to construction employers (NAICS 23), by the paragraph cited. Paragraph text: eCFR, current as of September 24, 2026. data.dol.gov
Maine Safety & Enforcement Profile
26,559
Federal construction citations (national, FY2025)
148 of them in Maine (HazComFast count)
Federal OSHA
Enforces private construction
- Construction trades inspected most in Maine, FY2025: Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction (30), Roofing Contractors (13) and Water and Sewer Line and Related Structures Construction (5), out of 77 inspections opened (federal OSHA and State Plan combined).
- Cited most under 29 CFR 1926.451 in Maine, FY2025: Siding Contractors (8), New Single-Family Housing Construction (except For-Sale Builders) (4) and Masonry Contractors (3), of 17 citations.
- Construction fatality rate in Maine, 2024: 13.2 per 100,000 full-time workers, 7th highest of the 40 states BLS published (all industries: 3.0).
HazComFast count from the Labor Department's OSHA enforcement data: inspections of construction employers (NAICS 23) opened from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2025, federal OSHA and State Plan combined, grouped by the inspected employer's 2022 NAICS industry. HazComFast count from the Labor Department's OSHA enforcement data: citations issued in FY2025 to construction employers (NAICS 23), grouped by the cited employer's 2022 NAICS industry. Industry names are the Census Bureau's 2022 NAICS titles. data.dol.gov · BLS fatality rates by state, 2024
Free Scaffolding Compliance Tools
Scaffolding FAQ for Maine
Which Maine construction trades are cited most under Scaffolding?
In FY2025, federal OSHA issued 17 citations under 29 CFR 1926.451 to Maine construction employers, most often to Siding Contractors (8), New Single-Family Housing Construction (except For-Sale Builders) (4) and Masonry Contractors (3) (HazComFast count from Labor Department enforcement data, by the cited employer's NAICS industry). Private-sector employers answer to federal OSHA (the Maine Department of Labor - SafetyWorks! plan covers only public workers). For context, federal OSHA issued 148 citations across 46 inspections of Maine construction employers in FY2025 (HazComFast count from Labor Department enforcement data). Companies in these trades should self-audit against 29 CFR 1926.451 on a recurring basis.
How often is Scaffolding cited on Maine jobsites?
OSHA's cited-standards tool does not break Maine out, but the Labor Department's enforcement data do: in FY2025, federal OSHA issued 148 citations across 46 inspections of Maine construction employers, 17 of them under 29 CFR 1926.451 (HazComFast count). A Scaffolding citation in Maine can come from any inspection: programmed, complaint-driven or post-accident. Maine's fatality figures are shown above.
Who enforces scaffolding rules (1926.451) on a private Maine construction site?
Federal OSHA. Maine's State Plan covers only public employees, so a private construction employer is inspected and cited by a U.S. Department of Labor compliance officer out of OSHA's Boston region, at the federal penalty maximums.
Can I get free OSHA help in Maine without an inspection?
Yes. OSHA's On-Site Consultation Program in Maine is Maine Bureau of Labor Standards (Workplace Safety & Health Division). OSHA describes it this way: "Primarily for smaller businesses, no-cost, confidential consultations help employers identify and address hazards and establish or improve safety and health programs." Consultations are separate from OSHA enforcement, and the employer commits to correcting serious hazards.
How often does federal OSHA cite 29 CFR 1926.451 in Maine construction?
In FY2025, federal OSHA cited 29 CFR 1926.451 (Scaffolding) 17 times in 4 inspections of Maine construction employers, with $20,592 in penalties at current amounts ($32,907 as first proposed), 11.5% of the 148 citations those inspections produced. No standard was cited more often there. (HazComFast count from U.S. Department of Labor OSHA enforcement data, retrieved 2026-09-26.)
Scaffolding Guides & Resources
Compare this combination against any other state and standard with the enforcement risk lookup.
Scaffolding in Other States
8 other state plans write a rule of their own for 29 CFR 1926.451 rather than adopting the federal text unchanged. Those are listed first. Compare all of them side by side.
Alaska29 CFR 1926.451 as adopted by 8 AAC 61.1010(c), with 8 AAC 61.1145 for exposuresCalifornia8 CCR §1637, with railings under §1621(a)own maxHawaiiHAR §12-110-50(b), with the fall restraint anchorage rule at (b)(2)Maryland29 CFR 1926.451 as adopted by COMAR 09.12.31.01, with COMAR 09.12.32.04own maxMichiganMIOSHA Construction Safety Standard Part 12, R 408.41201, with R 408.41210(2)own maxNevadaNAC 618.507, with the construction project definition at NAC 618.494Oregon29 CFR 1926.451 as adopted, plus OAR 437-003-0071, -0073 and -0074own maxUtah29 CFR 1926.451 as incorporated by R614-1-4.A.4, with R614-1-5.C.3 and C.4own max
Other OSHA Standards in Maine
Sources & verification
Penalty amounts and plan-type data were checked on 2026-10-05 against eCFR, OSHA.gov, and the Federal Register. This page is informational and not legal advice; consult the enforcing agency or counsel for your specific situation.
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OSHA does not give advance notice of inspections (29 CFR 1903.6). Get the binder in order before the opening conference, not during it.
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